hansgen



(No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

0. A. HANSGEN &J. R. COLEMAN.

CAR COUPLING.

' No. 293,325. Patented Feb. 12, 1884.

was STATES PATENT reins.

oHARLEs A. HANSGEN AND JAMEs R. COLEMAN, or ROCK ISLAND, ILL.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Batent No. 293,325, dated February 12, 1884.

Application filed October 19, 1883. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern Beit known that we, CHARLEs A. HANscnN and JAMEs R. COLEMAN, of Rocklsland, in

the. county of Rock Island and State of Illi- 1101s, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gar-Couplers; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full,

thereon, which form part of this specifica-' tlon.

Our improvements relate to that class of inventions known as car-couplers, having for their obj eet the provision of means where by an automatic coupling of cars may be effected, and also to provide means for uncoupling the-same without the necessity of going between the cars, thereby lessening the .clanger of accident to the operator.

To these ends the invention consists in such details of construction and I combination of parts as will be hereinafter described, and distinctly pointed out in the claim. y

Referring to the drawings, Figure l repre sents a top view of two cars as coupled by our device. Fig. 2 represents an inverted view of two cars, showing in plan the construction and arrangement ofour invention; Fig. 3 is a view in perspective of an end of a car wherein our improvements are embodied.

Reference being had to the letters marked thereon, A represents a car-body, to the under side of which and projecting beyond the end of, is arranged the couplingdevice.

B 13 indicate the heavy frame-work of the bottom of the car, and b b are timbers, having secured thereto in suitable manner hangers or brackets c c. Secured to the cross-piece at the forward end of .the car is another bracket, 0,

p which serves as a guide for the draw-bar as it is made to move laterally in effecting a coupling.

D represents the draw-bars,having heads d, which heads are designed to be of quite eonsiderable vertical height, and proj ect or branch off to one side of the draw-bar, thus forming inner faces, which clasp together when the ears are coupled. It .will be observed that the front face of said heads converge into a mouth, d, having holes in its lips for theinsertion of a link-pin when it is desired to simply employ the ordinarylink-coupling. The inner end of the draw-bar D terminates in a pinlike portion, on which is arranged a suitable buffer-spring, E. This spring works between two metal bars, 0 c, which are fitted on the smaller portion of the draw-bar transversely, and whose ends project through the brackets c 0. Normally this buffer-springis expanded, and keeps the bars 0 e apart.

F is a spring bearing against one side of the draw-bar, and working in a sleeve, f, secured to the under side of the car in any suitable manner. This spring yields as the draw-bar is made to move laterally, and acts to restore it to thus effect the coupling.

G is a curved arm or lever, which is fulcrumed to the end of the car, the longer arm thereof working in a vertical guide, 9, secured to the car at near the side, while its shorter arm curves or extends down through a transverse guide-strip, 9, arranged to the end of the car at or near the bottom edge.

h h are blocks, which prevent the ends of the cars themselves from coming in contact should they be brought together with too much force. It will be noticed that the outer faces of the heads (Z round off toward the edges which form the claspin g portion, the head used with one car being rounded off to the opposite side of the one on the other car. The said clasping portions are also turned in reverse direction to each other and slightly beyond a right angle. This construction permits them to glance off as they strike or come in contact, and each to be caught by the other. It will be further noticed that the springs F are also on reverse sides of the drawba-rs of each car.

The operation is as follows: WVhen the cars arebrought together,the two draw-heads come in contact, and the draw-bars are forced aside laterally until the edges of the heads pass each other, thereby compressing the spring Fin its sleeve f. As soon as the rounded faces of the heads have passed each other, the saidzspring, by its resiliency, forces back the draw-bars, and the angular faces of the heads are brought together and the coupling securely effected. As the two heads strike, the bufferspring E allows a yielding resistance by being compressed between the metal strips 6 6. When it is desired to uncouple the cars, the oper-- ator takes hold of the lever G and depresses it, which action throws the curved shorter arm of said lever against the side of the drawbar, thereby releasing the connection. In d0- ing this it is only necessary to operate one of the levers.

One of the advantages in our construction of draw-head is that cars of different heights can spring, besides lending relief to shock as the cars are brought together,- also, in case the link-coupling alone is employed, serve to pre- I ventbreakage of the link or pin from unsteady strain in consequence of instantly yielding to the force of a sudden pull as well as the force of contact. I

Having described our invention, what we claim isy In car couplers, the vertically elongatedheads rounded oii' on sides opposite to. each other and having their clasping portions turned in reverse direction, said heads formed with the lips and attached at top and bottom to the bands at the end of the draw-bar, in combination with said draw-bar, the springs E and F, bars 6 e, and the lever G, all substantially as set forth and shown.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as 0 our own we affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES A. HANSGEN. JAMES R. COLEMAN. 

